Brian Paddick’s crime policies are, well, not as exciting as you’d think.

He is the only one of the London Mayoral candidates with police experience, and plenty of it, at a senior level, so why are the crime policies so dull? Is it because he actually used up all his ideas while in the job? Is it because he doesn’t really expect to win? Anyway, here they are:-

• Local policing plans based on local communities priorities and crime surveys – a police only version of what has been a legal requirement since the Crime and Disorder Act 1998.
• “Increasing the number of police officers in the Met to 33,500” – another vote for more spending on more police
• “Increasing the visibility of uniformed officers at busy travel interchanges” – Flourescent yellow jackets not enough? Perhaps they could be decorated in fairy lights?
• “Better stop and search.” Better, how?
• “We will stop police targeting innocent people and accurately target the power on criminals” – how?
• “Tough payback sentences. Those convicted of criminal offences will be made to work in the community to repay their debt to society.” Sounds like Boris but without the detail.
• “Paddick patrols. We will help Londoners who want to reclaim their streets by working with community groups such as residents and tenants associations patrolling in groups.” Where Boris has more specials, this sounds like Ken’s Streetwatch, but more vigilante – a Liberal Lynch mob?

Er, that’s it. There isn’t any more.